


would you be so kind?

by youcarrymeaway



Category: Star Wars Sequel Trilogy
Genre: Car Accidents, Concussions, Crack Treated Seriously, Cuddling, F/M, Fluff, HEA, Hospitals, Hurt/Comfort, Meet-Cute, Quirky Romance, Sharing a Bed, Smut, involving only one car, that is also a meet-ugly, the US healthcare system is the fucking worst and this is how I cope, the ever-present threat of a lawsuit
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-18
Updated: 2020-08-22
Packaged: 2021-03-06 08:41:42
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 12,032
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25966804
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/youcarrymeaway/pseuds/youcarrymeaway
Summary: “Oh, I’m Rey, by the way.” Her face is scrunched in pain, body swaying slightly as she limps along with him.He feels a smile crack his face, and he honestly, truly cannot believe the turn this day has taken. He thinks faintly that he won’t mind so much if she does decide to sue him for all he’s worth.(an au where Ben accidentally hits Rey with his car, and also falls in love with her a little.)
Relationships: Rey/Ben Solo | Kylo Ren
Comments: 32
Kudos: 212





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Title is from the song by the same name by dodie.
> 
> This is unbeta’d, so I’d love to hear your feedback. Just be kind to me please! Just like the fic title says ;)

He’s so busy fuming about his excruciating work day that he has just had that he almost doesn’t realize what’s about to happen. By the time he does, it’s already too late. 

One moment, he’s speeding down the road in a huff in his Audi, and the next he’s screeching to a halt to try and avoid the woman that just stepped into the crosswalk. 

“Shit, shit, _shit.”_ Ben can’t stop swearing as he throws his door open and springs out of his car, fear gripping his heart tight like a vice. Did he just slam his car into a woman? Did he just _kill_ someone? Panic is making it nearly impossible for him to breathe. He can’t remember if he saw her hit his car, but he knows that one minute she was there, and now she was gone.

_Please, please let her be okay. Oh, God…_

He rounds the front of his car and spots her splayed on the ground. She’s dressed professionally, as though she was on her way to work, and her hair is brown and shoulder-length. She isn’t moving, but when he looks at her face, it’s scrunched up in pain, not lifeless or unconscious. She isn’t dead. 

Some of the immediate panic subsides, but Ben still feels somewhat frantic as he crouches down next to her. 

“Miss, I am so sorry. Are you hurt? Should I call an ambulance? Or maybe someone else?” He knows he’s babbling, practically incoherent. Ironic, considering he’s the one who _did_ the hitting, not the one who actually was _hit by a car._

She doesn’t answer him immediately, seemingly still in shock over what has happened. They’re in a fairly quiet part of town, so there aren’t many other cars passing by to deal with. He’s grateful that at least this is in his favor. 

Finally, she blinks up at him, as if coming out of a daze. “I - I think I hit my head… and my leg…” she winces, pressing her palm to the side of her head. “God _damn it,_ that hurts.” 

He’s slightly taken aback by her relatively nonchalant reaction to being hit by a car. Her accent, too; it’s lilting and sweet and more than likely one of the most beautiful sounds he’s ever heard. 

Too bad that she’ll likely only ever see him again when she’s standing opposite him in a courtroom. 

“I’m calling an ambulance,” Ben finally decides, pulling out his phone and beginning to type the emergency number in. 

Her eyes widen, and suddenly her arm flashes out to grip his forearm. Her hand is small and delicate, but the strength of her hold is anything but. His eyes snap down to her at the contact. 

“No, you don’t - ” She winces, bringing her other hand to cradle the back of her head. “You don’t have to do that. I don’t think I hurt anything too bad, just a few bruises and cuts is all.” 

Ben blinks at her, disbelieving. “You just got hit by a car and you don’t want to go to the hospital?”

The woman presses her lips together in a thin line. “Well I didn’t get run over or anything, and I’m still conscious, so…” She shrugs, then begins to shift as though she’s attempting to stand up. That’s when Ben notices the cuts on her arms and legs that are _definitely_ bleeding. 

“I really think - “ he begins. 

She shoots him a withering scowl. “I never asked for your opinion, now did I?” 

Ben feels like he’s living in a bizarre dream, like the past minute and a half of his life hasn’t been real. 

“No, you didn’t, but I just really think you should be seen by a doctor. I’d just really like to know for a fact that you’re not going to die from some head trauma or something.” Ben knows he sounds aggravated, and he internally chides himself for it, but anger has always been an easier emotion for him to express than fear. 

The woman looks even more annoyed at this. “Do you have any idea how expensive an ambulance ride is? There’s no way that I’m-” She sways suddenly, taking her hand off of her head and placing it on the ground to steady herself. 

Ben turns away from her and takes a deep breath. He runs a hand through his hair anxiously, before squaring his shoulders and turning back around. 

“Okay then. No ambulance,” he studies her carefully. “I can’t just leave you here in good conscience. I understand why this isn’t ideal for you, and if you want to call someone to pick you up and take you, I’ll wait with you until they get here.” 

She looks away from him. “Oh, well, all my friends that I would normally call are out of town for work at the moment, so…” She shrugs. “I guess I’m on my own at the moment.” Her tone is flippant, as if this doesn’t bother her. He’s not entirely convinced that’s the truth. 

“Then let me take you to the hospital. I promise I’ll leave you alone once you’re there,” 

She studies him carefully, looking somewhat dubious about this proposal. 

“Also,” he adds, trying to put her more at ease, “if you need to prove that this happened, it’s going to be hard to do so if you don’t go to the hospital. If not for your health, then at least go so you can get justice, you know?” 

She gives him a bewildered look. “What, like if I want to sue you or something?”

Ben twists his mouth into an awkward half-smile. “Well, I mean, yeah.” 

She seems taken aback by this. “Why would you encourage me to-”

“We can talk on the way to the hospital.” Ben gently places his hand on her shoulder, wanting to show support without invading her space and giving her the freedom to jerk away if she chooses. “Please.” He pleads, his gaze connected to hers. 

After a weighty pause, she finally sighs and nods. “Fine. Take me to the hospital.” She eyes him. “On the way there I can interrogate you so that I know all your information for the lawsuit.” 

Ben huffs out a laugh. “Great. Can you stand? Let me know how I can help you get into my car.” 

She tries to push herself up, and is able to get to her feet independently for the most part. However, when she attempts to put her weight on her left foot, she winces. “Yeah, i’m gonna need a little help, here.” 

Ben quickly gets up and gently drapes his arm around her, his hand lightly touching her narrow waist. He does his best to not think about just how gorgeous she is, with her lithe figure and tan skin, but the thought occurs to him regardless. 

She grips his bicep tightly, and they begin to move slowly towards the passenger side of his car. 

“Oh, I’m Rey, by the way.” Her face is scrunched in pain, body swaying slightly as she limps along with him. 

He feels a smile crack his face, and he honestly, truly cannot believe the turn this day has taken. He thinks faintly that he won’t mind so much if she does decide to sue him for all he’s worth. 

They reach the car door, and he opens it and helps her into the seat. As she’s reaching for the seatbelt, he replies. “Ben. I’m Ben.” He feels the insane urge to stick out his hand, but instead gives her a nod before shutting the door. 

He slides into the driver’s seat and begins to drive towards the nearest hospital. He knows that it’s about a ten minute drive away. If he wasn’t so worried about the woman - Rey’s - health, then he might wish it was longer. 

He makes sure to remain ten miles under the speed limit, and to pay extra attention to the road as he drives. Just in case.

Out of the corner of his eye, he can see Rey lean her head back against the seat and close her eyes. 

“So, Ben, you make a habit of hitting people with your car?” She still looks very pale, but some of the shock must be wearing off, because her voice has steadied somewhat from the other times he’s heard her speak. He feels his face flush at her comment. 

“May I say, once again, that I am so deeply sorry about that?” He risks a quick glance at her, where he can see that she looks quite unimpressed with his response. Her eyes are now slightly open, and he can see that they are a soft hazel color that makes his heart rate increase slightly. 

“Well, I’m not really sure you’ve even actually said it once, so...” She smirks slightly, peering over at him. “It certainly would be nice to hear.”

Ben rolls his eyes a little, but he has to admit that in his haste to make sure she’s all right, he really hasn’t given a formal apology. “Rey, I am very sorry for hitting you with my car.”

“Right, I’m sure you are. Just to clarify, what is your full name and address?” She’s closed her eyes again, but a tiny smile tugs at her lips. 

Ben smiles wryly. “Well, my full name is Ben Solo.” Before he can stop his stupid mouth, he finishes, “But for the rest of it, it would probably be easier if I had your phone number. That way I could just send you all the info you need.” He realizes how this sounds far too late, and his mouth falls open in horror. He quickly tries to correct by inarticulately saying. “Uh, I mean…” 

She snorts out a laugh and presses her hand to her mouth. “Oh wow, that was _terrible._ Did you recently take a class on how to hit on women, mate?” Her eyes brighten. “Did the name of the class confuse you? Is that why you literally - “

“I didn’t mean it like that.” He’s sure his face is on fire, and is once again grateful for having a hairstyle that covers his large ears that are currently flaming red. “Really, I didn’t.” 

She’s still smiling when she says, “I know, I know. Just taking the piss out of you a bit. All things considered, I think you deserve it a little.” 

He winces. “Fair enough.” 

After a moment of silence, her smile turns a little softer, but still with a hint of amusement. “Once we make sure my brain isn’t broken, we can talk about that phone number, yeah?” 

He’s relieved that she didn’t immediately tell him to stop the car (or worse, try and jump out) to escape him. She absolutely would be completely justified in doing so. 

“Yeah,” he manages to get out, still surprised that she would say such a thing. “That sounds… yeah, sure.” 

They fall into a surprisingly comfortable silence as Ben drives the last few minutes to the hospital. He finally pulls up in front of the hospital. Stopping the car, he turns to Rey. 

“Can I please help you get inside safely?” He implores, gripping the steering wheel tightly. 

She’s quiet for a moment, then squares her shoulders and gives him a nod. “Sure. I could…. I could use the help,” she admits.

He gets out of the car, then rounds it to open her door. He helps her out, and then they begin the slow process of walking into the building, much in the same fashion as he helped her to his car. 

They get to the reception desk, where the man on duty asks Rey about why she’s there and what’s wrong. She explains the situation and her symptoms, and they are soon ushered back to an exam room. Ben helps Rey to the bed, although she isn’t interested in lying down, choosing to sit upright instead.

The man tells them that a doctor will be by to see her soon. Then he leaves, and they’re alone once again. 

Ben shifts uncomfortably, not knowing what to do or say. Finally, he speaks. 

“So, I guess I should… go.” He gestures unnecessarily towards the door. 

Rey blinks. “Oh, um, okay then,” she says faintly. “Thanks for getting me here safely. I really do appreciate it.” She smiles up at him. It lights up her eyes and brings out her dimples and _God_ is she cute.

He considers giving her a goodbye and heading out, but he can’t seem to make the words come out of his mouth. 

It’s not just that this girl is pretty. She is - Ben doesn’t think he’s ever been this attracted to someone in his life - but it’s more than that. He feels guilty, because what happened to her is his fault. Even more than that, though, is the instinct in him that screams for him to stay, to not leave her alone here, by herself. 

“Or I could - “ he clears his throat, “I could stay with you. Just so you don’t have to be alone,” he says, trying to show her that he means it. 

Her lips part slightly in surprise. “You’d stay here with me?” 

His eyes meet hers. “Sure.” 

Their gazes stay locked for a few moments, and Ben can’t quite remember what it felt like to breathe normally. 

Finally, she nods, then immediately groans. “Shit, I should not have done that, ow.” She holds her head in her hands. After a moment of deep breaths, she returns to looking at him. “Thanks, Ben.” 

“Of course,” he responds automatically. “No one should be alone in the hospital.” 

Rey smiles ruefully. “Right, yeah, of course not.” Her answer further puzzles him, particularly when he combines it with the fact that when she was in an accident, there wasn’t a single person she could call to stay with her. He desperately wants to ask her about it, but knows that is absolutely not a conversation two strangers should be having. So he doesn’t.

He moves to sit in the empty plastic chair beside the bed. It’s a bit small for his rather large frame, and he can see Rey glance away from him with a slight smirk on her lips. 

They manage to strike up a conversation about Ben’s job, as she asks him, a bit sardonically, where he was going in such a hurry. He admits his attention wasn’t at his best after a bad day of work.

“Clearly,” she snorts.

In total, they’ve been in the room for about half an hour when the doctor finally arrives.

“Rey Johnson?” she asks. 

“Yes, that’s me,” Rey says, waving her hand awkwardly to indicate herself. He finds this gesture adorable and glances away from her so he isn’t caught staring. 

The doctor proceeds to assess Rey’s injuries, and cleans the cuts that litter her arms and legs. The process doesn’t take too long, and before he knows it she is turning so that she’s facing both him and Rey. 

“Your boyfriend is free to take you home, Ms. Johnson.” Both of their eyes widen before they snap to the doctor, who is scanning her clipboard. “Mr. Solo, was it? Ms. Johnson has a concussion and a sprained ankle. The ankle should heal just fine with some rest, some ice, and some pain medication. But she needs to be woken up every few hours tonight, so we can be sure she doesn’t fall unconscious. She also mentioned that her injuries were caused by a car hitting her. Do you have any details about the car? Should I call the police?” 

There is a brief, uncomfortable pause. 

“No, there’s no need for that, really.” Rey says smoothly, and Ben breathes a sigh of relief. He wouldn’t blame Rey for getting the police involved; frankly, she has every right to. But he is glad to know that she isn’t so upset with him that she feels as though it would be necessary. 

“Okay, well I’ll fetch you the discharge paperwork so you can get started on it.” She walks out, leaving Ben and Rey alone to stare awkwardly at one another. 

Ben tries to think of what to say. “I know you said your friends were out of town, but is there - “

Before he can finish his sentence, however, Rey’s phone begins to ring. She quickly pulls it out of her pocket and swears when she sees who it is. “Damn it, it’s my boss. She’s probably wondering why I haven’t been picking up her calls.” She gives him an apologetic look, before answering the phone. “Leia, I am so sorry, I can explain…” 

Ben feels his heart stop. 

No. What are the chances that…? 

“...I just have a concussion and a sprained ankle, which isn’t too bad, but I’m not sure I’m going to be able to make it to Iowa next week…” 

No fucking way. 

The girl he hit with his car works for his mother.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much to everyone who has read this nonsense. You’re literally the best.

Rey eventually hangs up from her call, after apologizing profusely to her boss for not calling and informing her of the situation sooner. Knowing his mother, she will likely not accept any of it. He can tell by Rey’s face as she says after a moment’s pause, “Yes, Ma’am,” that she has indeed been chastised for feeling the need to apologize. Once the call has disconnected, she turns to acknowledge him. 

“Sorry, that was my boss. She gets worried when I don’t pick up,” she says, a bit exasperated. 

Ben nods. “Ah, yeah, that makes sense. Your boss’s name is Leia…?” 

Rey smiles. “Yeah, Leia Organa. She’s the senator who’s planning to run for president. I’m supposed to be going to Iowa soon to help campaign, but…” She waves her hand at her leg dismissively, “That might be tricky to do, now, all things considered.” 

Ben wonders what the best way to break it to her that Leia is, in fact, his mother. Maybe he doesn’t need to. 

“Did you tell her what happened?” he asks. 

“Just a brief overview. I really didn’t want to worry her, especially since I’m not really all that hurt.” 

He breathes a sigh of relief. At least his mother doesn’t know that he was the one to injure her staffer. He gets enough anger from her as it is; he doesn’t need to add this to the list of his crimes.

“She’s been so good to me,” Rey continues, unaware of the thoughts swirling in his head. “It’s honestly so nice to have a boss who cares about you like you’re family.” Her smile is wistful. 

“Funny you should mention…” he says haltingly. Apparently he has decided to tell her the truth, and pray to God that she doesn’t immediately rat him out. He knows lying is certainly an option, but he also knows that if he wants to maintain any kind of hope of seeing her again, he needs to come clean about this. “I happen to know Leia Organa. Quite well, actually.” 

“You do?” Rey squints at him. “Really? How?”

Ben presses his lips together and braces himself. “She’s actually my mother.” 

There is a long beat of silence. Rey looks as though she has no idea how to handle this information. 

“You’re… you’re Leia’s son?” She sounds faintly hysterical. “Leia’s Ben?”

He nods. “That would be me, yeah.” 

Rey covers her mouth and begins to laugh. He’s not quite sure he can join her, but he has to admit that he certainly can see the humor in this situation. 

“What are the odds, right?” he asks wryly. 

“Oh my God, I can’t believe…” she shakes her head in mirth. “She’s not going to believe it. I finally met her son and it’s because he injured me and took me to the hospital.”

He groans. “Yeah, uh, could we maybe not mention this to her? She really does have enough family drama shit to be mad at me for without adding this to the list.” After a moment, he hurries to add, “But of course if you do choose to tell her that’s, uh, completely fine. It’s your choice. I just…” 

Rey’s laughter has subsided, and she reaches out her hand to press her palm on top of his hand, which is laying atop his thigh. His skin prickles at the contact. 

“Don’t worry,” she says, a smile lacing her words. “I won’t mention it. I don’t want her to be mad at you on my account. Plus,” her grin turns mischievous, “This way I can hold this over you for the rest of time.” 

Maybe he’s crazy, but he kind of hopes she does. 

The doctor chooses this moment to reenter the room and hand Rey her discharge paperwork. She tells Rey to fill it out, then leaves the room again. 

Rey pulls out the pen and begins filling in the forms. He watches as her eyes glance over the payment section and her brows knit in worry. It’s certainly none of his business, but he also knows that his mom’s staffers are definitely not paid all that much, and that hospital bills are outrageously expensive. 

Then, as he notices the list of her injuries, he remembers what the doctor had said about Rey’s concussion, and needing to have someone watch over her tonight. . 

“The doctor mentioned you need to stay with someone for a day, for your concussion. Do you have anyone in mind?” He wants to help her in any way he can, and finding her a safe place to stay is, for some reason, incredibly important to him. 

Rey shrugs, but doesn’t look up at him. “Oh, um, I don’t know… Like I said, my friends are out of town right now.” She pauses to take a deep breath, as if to prepare herself. 

“I guess I was hoping that I could maybe… stay with you? If you’re not, like, busy or anything...” she trails off, turning to meet his eyes. 

Ben has absolutely no clue how to respond to that. “You - you would want to stay with me? You don’t even know me,” he says, aghast. Of course he would  _ love  _ to spend more time with her, getting to know her better and making sure she’s okay. But he is a complete stranger to her; for all she knows, he could be a murderer or a criminal or- 

“Well,” she says, “Not a  _ complete  _ stranger. You’re Leia’s son, and you seem pretty all right to me, so…” She shrugs noncommittally. “It’s not like I really have any other options at the moment, anyway. But if you can’t or don’t want to, I completely understand.” 

“No, I want to,” he replies automatically, then hurriedly adds on, “I mean, I would like to make sure you’re okay, and I don’t have anything else going on, so…” 

“Then I guess it’s settled,” Rey says, turning back to her paperwork. “Is it alright if we stay at my place? I’d feel more comfortable that way. We can stop by yours before we head there if you need to get some stuff.” 

_ Is it okay if they- _

Ben is convinced that he is, in fact, the one with the concussion. There’s a tumble of excitement and nerves at the idea of spending more time with her, but he’s quick to tamp down on them. Just because he’s literally the only person available to stay with her doesn't mean she actually wanted that. 

“Yeah, okay. Sounds good,” he manages

Rey hands in the paperwork, and they head back out to his car. Enough time has passed since they entered the hospital that the sun has already begun to set, and it shines directly into their eyes as they hobble their way over. They'd given her a pair of crutches to help her get around, but it's clear that she isn't used to using them, so he makes sure to stay close to her elbow in case she falls.

He drives to his apartment first, so that he can pack an overnight bag. He spends most of the drive over attempting to tamp down on his anxiety at the thought of spending the night with her. 

_ It doesn’t mean anything,  _ he chides himself.  _ You’re just doing something helpful. That’s it. It's your fault anyway, so you'd be a dick to  _ not  _ stay with her. _

Rey raises an eyebrow when they pull up in front of his building. It's in the nicer part of town, and while not being exorbitantly expensive, Ben can admit that it does seem a bit ostentatious to most people. He shrugs awkwardly at her before mumbling about how he'll be right back and jumping out of the car.

He makes sure he’s quick, only grabbing basic essentials like a change of clothes and a toothbrush. There's some dumb part of him that worries that if he takes too long, she won't be there when he gets back.

Certainly an unfounded fear. She wasn't exactly capable of flight at the moment.

When he hops back into the car, Rey is busy on the phone with someone. 

“Yes, I swear to you that I’m fine. Leia is overreacting. I promise.” 

He doesn’t want to interrupt her, but he does need to know where they’re going, so he pulls up the map on his phone and waves it at her, asking her without words to enter her address. 

She seems to understand what he’s trying to say, and enters it into his phone quickly before handing it back, all while continuing her conversation. 

“Okay, so maybe I will need a few days to recover, but it’s really nothing you need to fly back for. Hate to break it to you, but flights aren’t free, you know?” Her smile softens. “I know, I know. Love you too, peanut. I’ll see you soon. Bye!” She hangs up the phone, a smile still on her face. 

Ben feels his chest squeeze uncomfortably tight and wills himself to ignore it. So what if she has a boyfriend? It’s none of his business.

Even if she had been single, there’s simply no way that someone like her would be interested in him. 

They arrive at her apartment after about twenty minutes, and Ben helps Rey up to the front door, making sure to support her up the stairs to her unit.

Before they enter the building, she glances worriedly back at the car. “Your bag is still in there.”

“I’ll go back and get it," he waves her off dismissively.

It's a painful trek up the two flights of stairs, and about halfway up Ben sort of considers just picking her up and carrying her the rest of the way. She would probably be so easy to hoist up into his arms. But as he watches the determined furrow of her brow and the firm line of her mouth, he quickly dismisses the idea. She clearly wants to get this done herself, and he can respect that.

It doesn't completely erase the urge, though.

When they eventually reach her door, Rey slumps against it with a loud groan. "Shit, that was so much worse than being hit by a car."

Ben can't help the laugh that tumbles out of him. "I'm not sure I agree."

"What, have you been hit by a car? You know what it's like? Is that why you're so nice to me? Our shared trauma?"

"No," he deadpans. "I'm nice to you because the fate of my bank account is in your hands."

Rey beams a smile back at him. "Ah, of course. When I sue you for all you're worth."

She unlocks the door for them, and he pushes it open and helps her through. Once they enter, they move towards the couch to settle her on, and Rey flops back on it with a long sigh. “I didn’t realize how much energy that would take.” 

Ben leaves the building to fetch his bag from his car. While he’s pulling it out of the trunk, he feels his phone buzz in his front pocket. He pulls it out to see that it’s a text from his boss, Snoke. 

_ I want the revisions by noon tomorrow. No exceptions. _

His mood immediately sours a bit. The reason he'd been in such a bad mood after work yesterday was because of Snoke. Ben had spent months on a project draft that Snoke had explicitly given approval for, only to see the finished project and rip it to shreds. Now he wants the equivalent of months of work done in a single day.

Ben scoffs. As fucking if.

Rey may have who she considers to be the best boss in the world, but he may very well have the worst.

Maybe Leia had been right. Maybe he should just quit.

He pushes the thoughts away. They’re not important right now. All that matters is taking care of Rey.

Shoving his phone back in his pocket, he hoists his bag over his shoulder and heads back inside.

He reenters the apartment and moves past Rey on the couch in the direction of the hallway branching off the main room. He pauses when he reaches the entrance and turns back to look at Rey. “Which room is your spare bedroom?” he asks. 

Rey’s eyes widen. “Oh, um,” she says, rubbing her neck sheepishly, “I don’t really… have one of those.” 

His brows furrow. “Then where do you, uh, want me?” His skin flushes when he realizes how he phrased his question. 

“I mean, I can just stay here for the night.” She gestures to her couch. “It’s certainly more comfortable than some beds I’ve had in my life.” 

Ben shakes his head vigorously. “No, no way. You need proper rest, not on a little couch like that.” The fact that she would consider sleeping on a couch a valid alternative to a nice bed makes his heart ache. He’s only known her for a few hours and he already wants to ensure that she never lives in discomfort again. “I can take the couch.” 

She gives him a look. “There’s no way you’ll fit on this thing.” Her eyes dart over his form quickly before she glances back over at her television, but she’s not quick enough for him to miss what she was doing. 

Maybe he’s not the only one who’s having certain feelings today. 

“I’m not kicking you out of your bed,” he says decisively. “I’m sleeping on the couch.” 

Rey doesn’t look happy about it, but just as she’s opening her mouth to argue with him some more, her stomach growls loudly. Her cheeks redden in embarrassment. 

“It’s been awhile since I’ve eaten,” she says sheepishly. 

He grins. “Guess we’ll have to fix that.” He wanders over to her kitchen, where he opens her fridge, only to find that it’s completely empty save for a half-empty can of salsa. 

”I guess we’re ordering something,” he says dryly. "What are you in the mood for?"

They decide to order pizza, because Rey insists that the place she orders from is some of the best pizza in the entire city. He reluctantly agrees, but insists that they get vegetables on at least half of one.

“Are you sure we’ll need two?” 

Rey scoffs. “Oh, I could probably eat two by myself, on a good day.”

While they wait for the order to arrive, Rey turns on the TV and finds a mindless cooking show to watch. After a few minutes, Ben gets up abruptly and heads to the kitchen. Rey calls after him in confusion, but he doesn’t stop.

When he returns a minute later, he’s holding an ice pack in one hand. He pulls a pillow from the couch and sets it on his lap, before he gently maneuvers her foot onto the pillow and slides the ice pack around it.

”Thanks,” she says meekly.

"Yeah, of course."

While the TV plays, proposes a schedule for the night of times for Ben to wake Rey up, which they agree to be one, three, and five in the morning to ensure that she hasn’t fallen unconscious. 

That decided, they actually start to pay attention to the show, and Rey explains to him the rules of the competition.

"I'm not a very good cook," she admits. "But then again, you probably knew that from looking in my fridge."

He keeps his expression carefully blank. "I... could see that, yeah."

Rey shrugs defensively. "I mean, no one bothered to teach me, and cooking for one is pretty pointless, so..."

He tries to be casual as he asks, "You don't have anyone to cook for?"

She looks thoughtful. "Well, I mean, I guess I could cook for my friend Finn - who I was talking to on the phone earlier - but he's already a good cook, so. No real need to learn."

He absorbs this information. "So Finn is..."

She seems to misinterpret his leading question. "He works with me for Leia. Your mom, I mean." She winces at the slip-up. "Still weird to think about."

"You're telling me."

They become quiet as their attention returns to the show, their focus only wavering when the pizzas are delivered.

Ben sets the two boxes down on the coffee table in front of them. "Dinner is served."

Rey eagerly snatches her first slice and practically inhales it in one bite. At his mildly judgmental look, she chides him. "I worked up an appetite today, okay."

He shrugs. "That's true." He picks up his own slice and begins to eat at a much slower pace.

As they eat quietly, Ben thinks about all the things he knows about Rey so far, and realizes that he desperately wants to understand the pieces that he has been given, and how they fit together.

He decides to try and broach the topic. He wants to know everything about her. 

He sets his food down as he turns to look at her and says, slowly, “I get the sense that you’ve… had a hard life."

Rey seems taken aback by this statement. Rightfully so, perhaps. Her shoulders tense. "What's that supposed to mean?"

He hurries to clarify. "I just mean that... Well. You were going to treat a concussion and broken leg by yourself. Someone who is willing to do that has probably been through worse."

She seems to deflate somewhat, staring mutely at the TV.

"You don't have to tell me anything, Rey. But I... just wanted to help you. And if you want to talk, then I would love to listen."

Rey turns to study him, her hazel eyes sharp on his. "I mean, I guess it's not some big secret. I'm just an orphan, grew up in the foster system. So." She shrugs, then takes another large bite of her pizza. "I just felt weird telling that to a total stranger, but I guess you aren't one, right?" she says with her mouth full.

His chest squeezes a bit as he nods. "Not exactly, no."

"Besides, I'm not asking you all about your family drama." She smirks. "I know you mentioned it, and I've also heard about Leia's estranged son before, so..."

He laughs as he picks up another slice. "Okay, point taken. But thank you for sharing with me, anyway."

Rey's smile softens a little as she returns her focus to the cooking show. "Now shrimp, that's a hard food to make."

He chooses not to correct her on this.

As the evening grows later and later, Rey begins to yawn continuously. So does he, as a result.

When he sees her eyes fall shut for more than a few seconds, he decides they should call it a night. 

"You should get some rest, Rey," he says.

She blinks her eyes open, and nods with a reluctant sigh. He can already tell she probably isn't a morning person. Life on Leia's team must suck for her, with the amount of early mornings he knows she requires.

"Do you... need any help? Getting to bed?" He asks, flushing.

Rey shakes her head as she grabs her crutches. "No, I think I can manage it."

"Oh, okay, good." As an afterthought, he adds, "Do you have any spare pillows or blankets that I could borrow?"

Rey glances over at him and bites her lip in thought.

“I mean, if you wanted we could…” She swallows hard. “We can just share the bed, if you felt like it.” 

His heart accelerates to a dangerously quick pace. "You'd let me share..."

She shrugs. "Not strangers anymore, remember?"

Ben still isn't quite convinced this is a good idea. “Are you really sure?” 

She smiles lightly up at him. “Yeah, I mean, it’s pretty big. Shouldn’t be an issue.” 

He wants to say,  _ big enough even for me?,  _ but it appears he still has some self-preservation instinct in his brain. 

"Okay then," he says. "It'll be a lot easier to wake you up this way, I guess."

"Right, exactly."

He follows her to her bedroom, and once they enter he hovers uncomfortably at the end of her bed.

"Which side is yours?" he asks.

Rey shrugs. "I guess you can take the far side." She then points behind herself. "I'm just gonna change in the bathroom real quick."

He nods weakly. "Sure."

When she's gone, he takes a long, deep breath. This is fine. Totally fine. It's easier to help her this way.

Feeling a bit more centered, he pulls his jeans off and slides under the covers on the opposite side from the door.

Rey comes back into the room, and sets her crutches against the door to her closet. She then hops the rest of the way over to her bed, where she crawls in next to him.

She was right when she said that the bed was big enough for both of them; they are laying next to one another, and not a part of them is touching.

He sets the alarms on his phone for their three agreed-on wake up times.

Rey switches the light off, and the room grows deathly silent.

Ben shifts slightly in an attempt to get comfortable.

"Good night, Rey."

"Night, Ben."

It takes him a while to fall asleep, his thoughts racing with the events of the day and the girl sleeping beside him, but he eventually manages to drift off.

The first time he wakes up, he is groggy and disoriented.

It takes him almost a full minute to remember where he is and what he's doing there. He manages to sit up, and to turn his body so that he's looking down at Rey, who is still fast asleep.

He touches her shoulder and shakes it gently. "Rey, wake up."

She doesn't respond right away, and his heart begins to pound harder, a cold fear leaking into his stomach.

"Rey, wake up," he tries again, louder this time. His shaking gets a tiny bit firmer.

Rey suddenly groans, before her eyes blink open. A rush of relief fills him at her response, and he releases the breath he hadn't realized he was holding. She looks like she's about to bolt upright in confusion before she remembers what's happening.

He smiles wryly down at her. "One wakeup call down."

She lets out a loud huff. "God, for a second there I had no idea who you were or what you were doing here." Her voice is low and rough, and Ben has to look away from her to keep his composure.

"Well, seeing as you woke up at all, you're good to go back to sleep now."

Rey sags back into the bed and nods, her eyes already falling closed. "Sounds good to me."

Within a few seconds, she's asleep again.

It takes Ben much, much longer.

When his three A.M. alarm blares, he's even more groggy than before. His limbs feel like bricks as he shuts off the alarm, then presses the palm of his hand to his face. He had gone to sleep on his side of the bed, but sometime in the last two hours he's rolled over to be closer to Rey. Luckily, they aren't touching, so nothing too embarrassing could occur.

This time, he's a bit bolder with his wake-up methods, prodding her back with his finger until she finally wakes up enough to flop so that she's facing him. She glares viciously.

He adopts an innocent expression. "What? I'm just waking you up."

"You didn't have to do it so... aggressively," she mumbles, her face still mostly pressed into the pillow.

He can't help the stupid smile that spreads across his face. "Only one more until morning."

"Fuck off," is the only reply he gets.

He falls asleep with the smile still on his face.

The third time is different.

It's five in the morning, and the sun is beginning to rise, allowing rays of light to pass through the curtains. Ben's alarm goes off, and it feels like he's only been asleep for ten seconds.

He goes to move his arm to silence the infernal machine, but it won't budge from where it's stuck under a person.

From where it's stuck under Rey.

Somehow, in this last stretch of the night, they've managed to tangle themselves together so that Ben is pressed flush against Rey's back. His left arm has fallen asleep underneath her, and his left hand rests on her stomach. His right hand clutches at her hip to keep her close.

He swallows hard. Fuck.

She feels so soft and warm against him, and if he's being honest he's not sure that he wants to leave. Her hair is tickling his nose, but not even the awkward sensation of feeling like he needs to sneeze is ruining this moment.

But if Rey wakes up and feels his boner then that probably will.

He attempts to ease away from her, but it's virtually impossible. Any time he manages to put any sort of distance between them, her unconscious form presses closer to him again, mindlessly seeking his warmth. After a few attempts, he gives up and stares blankly at the ceiling.

He needs to wake her.

Ben spreads the fingers of his right hand, and gently squeezes her right hip. He doesn't think he'll be able to forget what her soft curves under his hands feel like anytime soon.

Finally, she stirs beneath him.

"Hey," he says quietly, bracing himself for her reaction.

She... doesn't really have one.

Her neck turns so she can see him, her eyes blinking furiously. "Hey," she responds, just as quiet.

They stare at each other for a few beats.

"Sorry about, um." He has no fucking idea how to finish that sentence. "You know."

A smirk curves the corners of her mouth. "It's fine."

She seems to be studying him carefully, so he does the same to her. Her cheek has a crease on it from being smushed into the pillow. Her hair is in wild disarray, but Ben thinks he prefers it this way.

The loose shirt she's wearing has ridden up, and his pinky finger is grazing her bare skin.

"I'm guessing I didn't fall unconscious, then," she says, her voice a bit more alert.

He presses his lips together. "No, as a matter of fact, you did not."

"Oh, that's good."

Neither of them move to get up.

"Can I sleep a bit more, then?"

Too surprised to put together a coherent sentence, he merely nods. "Okay."

With his agreement, she turns around and lets out a sigh as she closes her eyes once again. "Okay."

She doesn't ask him to move from his position. So he stays.


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> would you be so kind as to fall in love with me?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I added smut. You're welcome. I really hope it doesn't suck.

The next morning doesn’t really go the way he’d imagined.

When he wakes up at around nine, Rey is no longer next to him, and the bathroom door is closed. He assumes this must be where she is, as her crutches are still in the room, propped against the wall.

He decides to get up and make some breakfast for the two of them, figuring it would be a good next step.

It isn’t until he shuffles into the kitchen that he remembers her criminally empty fridge.

He opens the door and studies the shelves, trying desperately to come up with something he can make for them, when a sleep-rumpled Rey enters the kitchen, moving slowly as she attempts to keep weight off her foot.

”Hey,” he says. “I was trying to make us breakfast but...”

”Oh. I usually just have cereal,” she says dismissively. “Not very good at cooking, so I don’t usually bother with anything else.”  
  
“Ah.”

He feels a rush of disappointment as he lowers his gaze. Cooking had been his excuse to stick around for awhile longer. 

There's no more reason for him to stay, now.

So he tells her, "Well I guess I should get going, then. So you can enjoy your cereal in peace.”

Her smile falls a bit, but she's quickly recovered and nodding along. "Yeah, sure."

He runs to use the bathroom and put his jeans back on, and when he returns to the main room Rey is hovering by the door, only using one of her crutches on her injured side.

"Thank you again for staying with me, Ben. You really didn't have to, but I'm grateful that you did."

He shoves his hands in his pockets and snorts. "I mean, I would be kind of an asshole if I hadn't, considering I’m the whole reason that you're hurt."

She shakes her head. “It was an accident. And most people wouldn’t offer to help like you did. So really, thank you.”

He meets her gaze. “You’re welcome, then.”

As he prepares to head out of the building, he gives her his phone number as he had previously promised, but he doesn’t ask for hers in return. The idea of doing so feels kind of gross to him.

He still wildly hopes that she’ll reach out, though.

“I guess I’ll... see you in court,” he says with a laugh, rubbing the back of his neck.

Rey presses her lips together, her eyes sparkling. “Guess you will, Ben Solo.”

Ben wonders the entire drive home if he’ll ever see her again.

It’s likely that he will, given that she works for his mom.

But still, it’s possible that once her injuries heal, she’ll forget all about the strange man who hit her with his car.

When he enters his own house, Ben heaves a sigh as he slides down onto his couch. It’s Saturday, so he’s choosing not to work today. He’d sent Snoke some flimsy excuse as to why he could only have the revisions done on Monday, and not today. As long as he follows through on that, he doubts that Snoke will say anything. 

He absently pulls out his phone and scrolls through his messages to see if he’s missed anything important. He sees a dumb video of a cat on social media and shakes his head ruefully.

Without thinking, he goes to the search bar and looks up photos of Leia's campaign events, scanning closely for a glimpse of Rey.

He doesn’t find many, but he does find a single shot where she’s standing beside Leia, wearing a pretty blue dress and smiling.

He stares at it for a bit too long.

A thought occurs to him, then.

There was one other thing he could do to help her. As a final "I'm sorry for the pain I've caused you" gift. Beyond just making sure she got to a hospital. 

Resolved, he makes a call.

"Hi, I'm calling on behalf of Rey Johnson?"

* * *

It's two days after their night together that Ben receives a sudden pounding at his door.

Wary, he opens it and can only gape in surprise at what he sees.

It’s Rey. Standing at his door.

She looks furious.

“Ben Solo,” she seethes. “What the fuck are you playing at?”

He has no clue how to respond. "Rey? What are you doing here?"

"Are you _mad_?" Her arms are crossed tightly across her chest, and her fists are curled like she's gearing up for a fight. "You really have _no idea_ why I might be cross with you?"

“How did you even know where I live?” He manages, stupidly, still confused by her presence at his house.

She falters at this, her ire wavering with slight embarrassment. “I… I asked your mother. But that is beside the point-”

“My mother gave you my address?” he asks incredulously. “Why would she-”

Rey is exasperated. “I told her you left something at my apartment, okay, but that really doesn’t matter-”

"You told her I _went to your apartment_ -"

"Goddamn it, would you just listen to me?"

He quiets then. "Okay, I'm sorry."

Rey squares her shoulders. “My hospital bill was just magically paid. By someone other than me. Isn’t that interesting?”

Ben blinks. “Oh. That.”

In all honestly, he hadn't really expected her to reach out about that. Sure, he knew she would never _ask_ him to pay it for her, but he'd still kind of assumed that she'd accept his help.

Clearly he had been very, very wrong.

Rey sneers. “Yeah, _that._ Were you going to _mention_ this to me, or was I just supposed to look like an idiot when I found out? Was this just some scheme of yours to make sure I don’t actually sue you? Did you really think I’d do that after everything? Or, or is this just some _game_ to you-”

He cuts off her rant mid-thought. “How did you know it was me?”

She lets out a harsh laugh. “Who the fuck else would it be? I don’t exactly know a lot of rich people, and as much as Leia likes me, I don’t think she likes me enough to drop $2,000 on a dime.”

Ben runs a hand through his hair. “Okay, so it was me. So what?”

"What do you mean, _so what_? Why would you do that?"

He's not really sure how to explain to her that he feels an inexplicable need to take care of her without sounding creepy or condescending. Or both.

"It just felt like the right thing to do,” he explains. “It was my fault, so. I should be the one paying for it. I just saved you the time and money a lawyer would've cost."

Rey presses her lips together. “Why didn’t you tell me you were going to do that?”

He hesitates. “I mean, I don’t want you to owe me anything, Rey.”

She seems taken aback by this answer, her eyes widening slightly. Recovering quickly, she retorts, “Well you really should've told me. And I can take care of myself, you know."

He actually rolls his eyes at this. "Of course I know that."

She deflates then, and the last vestiges of her anger appear to melt away. "Well, thanks, I guess. That hospital bill was like three months of my rent, so." She adjusts herself on her crutches. "It is good to not need to worry about it.”

”If you hit me with your car, you’re more than welcome to pay my hospital bills, okay?” he jokes.

Rey snorts. “I mean you probably have insurance that would pay it for you, but yeah, okay.”

He grimaces. “That is true. But you know what I mean.”

”Yeah, I guess so,” she concedes.

He considers inviting her inside his house then, but instead what he says is:

“Would you like to go to dinner with me sometime?”

Oh, shit.

He probably shouldn’t have said that.

Rey’s mouth audibly snaps shut, and she stares blankly at him with wide eyes.

He opens his mouth to apologize profusely, to say _forget it, forget he ever said anything_ , but before he can she’s speaking.

“Like on a date?”  
  
He nods mutely, too anxious to form words.

Her arms that had been crossed over her chest fall to her sides, and she seems shyer, suddenly.

“You really weren’t ever going to tell me that you paid my bill?”

He shakes his head. “I promise I wasn’t. It was the right thing to do.”

Rey takes a deep breath.

“Then… yes. I’ll go to dinner with you. But I’m paying. No exceptions.”

A stupid grin spreads across his face. “Yeah, I can work with that. Is Wednesday too soon?”

She shakes her head. “No - I mean - Wednesday’s great. I’ll text you the details.”

”Great.”

They remain staring at each other for a few seconds too long, before Rey laughs nervously and begins to back up.

“I guess I’ll see you then,” she says.

Ben can’t believe this is happening. Every moment of his life since he’s met Rey has been such a whirlwind, and he’s not sure he’s ever felt this happy or excited. “See you then, Rey.”

She gets in her car and leaves. 

* * *

He has no idea what to wear on this date. He tries on three different shirts before concluding that his original choice, a grey button-down, was probably fine.

They’d agreed over text to meet at a Greek restaurant downtown that Rey had assured him had pretty great food and a nice atmosphere.

 _Plus_ , she'd added, _they light cheese on fire. So. Pretty worth it, in my opinion._

Ben had good-naturedly agreed. There was really no use on fighting her on anything. Not that he really wanted to. He gets to go on a date with her, and that's all that matters.

His palms are sweaty as he approaches the restaurant, having no idea if she’s already inside or not.

It turns out that he’s the first one there. He breathes a sigh of relief, as he’ll have a few extra minutes to compose himself. He's led to their table, where he sits down and takes a few deep, steadying inhales.

He doesn't have to wait long.

He hears the waiter's voice speaking before he sees Rey herself. He glances up in curiosity and freezes in place.

Rey is wearing a tight black dress that ends just above mid-thigh and fits her like a glove. Her hair is slightly curly as it falls around her face. She beams a smile at him, and his heart leaps.

She's absolutely stunning.

"Not too shabby, right?" she asks as she slides into the seat across from him, glancing at the restaurant's decor.

"Yeah," he says, his eyes glued to her form. "Not at all."

They study one another, taking in the moment.

“So,” he says, at a loss of what to say.

“So,” she echoes.

He notices her crutches that she has placed on the ground parallel to their table. "How has your ankle been?"

She glances down at it. "Well, Dr. Solo, it's been fine as long as I'm taking painkillers and not using it. But getting around on crutches is kind of a bitch."

The awkwardness dissipates, and they laugh together. Ben shakes his head ruefully.

"Sorry. I promise I won't ask about it again. I'm just making sure you're doing okay."

"And I appreciate that. But honestly, I'm fine."

The conversation flows easier after that. They order drinks, and Ben asks her about the event she's missing for work due to her injury. She explains what she does for Leia, and what she's doing now in lieu of flying out to be with the team.

He ends up sharing a few childhood anecdotes involving Leia that have Rey cackling with laughter, often at his expense.

They also make sure to order the flaming cheese.

"I don't know about this," he grumbles as the waiter brings the platter of Saganaki out to them, lighter in hand.

Rey practically bounces in her seat in excitement. "You're such a worrier, Ben. Lighten up."

The waiter gives an extremely perfunctory _opa!_ before he lights the cheese on fire, and a billow of flame bursts before their eyes. Rey cheers. Ben smiles reluctantly.

She digs into the treat the second it's cool enough to do so. Ben gives it another few seconds before he touches it, not particularly in the mood to have his mouth burnt.

She practically moans as she chews, nodding her head in approval. He averts his eyes.

"Does it live up to your expectations?"

"Oh, yeah," she nods, still chewing. “It’s just as incredible as I remember.”

The distraction of food over, they return to their previous conversation.

"Your mom was pretty surprised to hear that I knew you," Rey says casually as she bites into the fried cheese.

“She and I haven’t talked in awhile, so. That makes sense.” He hesitates. “What exactly did you tell her...?”

She grins. "Don't worry, I didn't tell her everything. Just that you found me after I was hurt and helped make sure I was okay."

He relaxes. "Oh."

"I certainly didn't mention to her how I was in bed with her son."

His eyebrows shoot up. "Well, thank God for that."

Rey smirks. "Yeah, might not have been the best info to share."

There's a pause. Ben feels his heart thudding in his chest. He pokes at the cheese.

Her heeled foot brushes up against his pants leg. He swallows.

“You look nice, by the way,” she says, her eyes darting down to his shirt. "Really nice."

He can feel his ears burning. “Thank you. You look beautiful.”

She smiles and a rosy blush appears on her cheeks. "Thanks."

His eyes keep unconsciously dropping to her mouth.

_God, get a grip._

Still staring at him, Rey slowly says, "You know, I'm not all that hungry at the moment."

He blinks in surprise, glancing pointedly at her empty plate that once held cheese. "Oh?"

She nods. "Yeah. Want to go hang out at my place instead?"

Ben stills. Is she offering...?

They haven’t even ordered their entrees yet.

"Are you sure?" he croaks.

Rey gives a decisive nod, her gaze pointed. "Yeah, I am."

He glances down at their plates, their opened menus, his half-finished scotch.

“Fuck it,” he mumbles. "Let's go."

He goes to throw the correct amount of cash for what they've ordered on the table, plus a hefty tip for the waiter, but Rey’s ferocious glare makes him stop and put his wallet away to let her do it. That was their deal, after all.

Rey seems gleeful that he's actually agreed to go home with her, and she snatches her crutches off the ground to follow him to the restaurant's entrance. They get a few strange looks as they head out, but Ben couldn't give less of a fuck.

“We’re not exactly a conventional couple, anyway,” he reasons as they exit the building and head towards his car. "Might as well break a few rules."

Rey grins wickedly. "I love breaking rules."

He comes to the sudden realization that they drove here in separate cars.

”I'll follow you?”

She agrees. "Okay,"

He drives behind her to her apartment, and when they arrive he rushes over to her car so he can grab her crutches and speed the process along. He thinks about the staircase and almost groans.

She gratefully takes the crutches from him, and they make their way up as quickly as possible. Rey has clearly gotten better at navigating them, and they manage to make their way to the top in less than a minute. Rey unlocks and opens the door for them.

It shuts behind them, and before he can overthink it he’s kissing her.

Her mouth is warm and soft and it's the best kiss he's had in a long time, causing heat to spread throughout his body. He slides his hands around her waist to support her as she clutches his shoulders and returns his kiss with vigor.

He urges her lips to open, and she parts them willingly for him. He takes the opportunity to slide his tongue inside to meet hers.

She lets out a soft little whine, and his blood lights on fire as she runs her fingers through his hair.

”Are you-“ he can’t stop kissing her, “-really sure about this?”

She clutches his jacket in her fists and nods breathlessly. “Yes, Ben, I want this. I want you.”

It’s all the confirmation he needs. He tries to move her towards her bedroom, but she can't quite keep up with his pace, so in one swift movement he hoists her up into his arms. She makes a noise of indignation against his mouth at the action.

"Sorry, this was faster," he mumbles before reattaching his lips to hers. She quickly gives up the pretense of being annoyed and resumes kissing him back, sucking greedily on his bottom lip.

They reach her bedroom, and Ben lowers Rey so that they’re standing in front of her bed.

Rey tugs at his clothes impatiently. “Off.”

He reluctantly separates their mouths, before sliding off his jacket and tugging off his shirt. Rey does the same with her own clothes.

When he sees she’s in nothing but her bra and panties, he has to swallow hard.

She climbs on the bed as she takes off her bra and tosses it onto the floor. “Are you coming or not?”

He raises an eyebrow at her phrasing. Her cheeks flush even further, but she still looks determined as she lays back on the bed. His mouth waters at the sight of her breasts bouncing slightly.

He’s down to just his boxers as he climbs on top of her, supporting himself with his forearms. He makes sure to nudge her injured ankle to the side a bit so that there’s no chance he’ll put pressure on it.

He presses their mouths together again in a wet, messy kiss. They’re both panting when he breaks away to press kisses down her neck and sternum. Rey lets out a breathy sigh.

He slides his hand down between her legs, and into her already drenched underwear.

Her eyes fly open and her mouth drops as his two fingers slide through her slick folds. He can’t stop the groan that escapes him.

”You‘re so wet,” he marvels.

”That’s such a cliche - thing to say - _Oh_.“

He shuts her up by sliding a finger inside of her.

”Doesn’t mean it’s not true.”

He works her with his fingers, guided by her breathy gasps and moans.

By now he’s so hard, he has to press his hips against the mattress to relieve some of the pressure.

He starts kissing down her body, taking a detour from his mission to suck on her nipples and twirl his tongue around them. Her hand that’s on his shoulder digs into his skin as she cries out at the sensation.

He continues his journey downward, until his mouth rescuers her inner thigh, where he sucks a bruise into her skin.

”Can I?” he asks, sliding his wet fingers out of her to circle her clit.

Her breathing is ragged. “Yes, Ben, please.”

He tugs her underwear down and off her legs, and obliges her.

He gives an experimental lick through her folds, and her musky flavor explodes on his tongue. He can’t stop the moan that falls out of him as he laps at her juices eagerly.

”Fuck,” Rey keens above him, throwing her head back.

"You taste so good," he husks.

“Oh my God, shut up," she pants.

He quickly finds her clit and focuses on it, sucking and swirling his tongue as he returns his fingers to pumping inside of her clenching walls.

His own needs sort of take a backseat as he loses himself in the act of pleasuring her. He can tell that she’s starting to get close when her legs begin to shake.

Rey tugs frantically at his hair. "Ben, please," she begs. “I want you inside of me.”

He pulls away from her, his mouth slick, and looks at her hesitantly. "Are you sure? Your ankle-"

"Oh, fuck my ankle," she huffs. "It's fine, I swear, just-"

He complies with her request, sliding up so that they're level again. He licks his lips that are still coated with her.

”Condoms?”

She points to her bedside dresser, and he opens the drawer to pull one out. He sits up to pull his boxers off, and yanks the package open to slide the condom on.

Rey’s eyes are wide as she stares at his naked body. Specifically, his dick.

”What?” He can feel his face burning at her scrutiny.

She shakes her head slowly as she exhales. “Nothing, it’s just - bigger, than I thought.”

”Oh.” He can’t help but feel a tiny big smug as he slides back on top of her. He adjusts so that his tip is positioned near her entrance.

”Are you ready?” he asks, shakily.

Rey nods, her pupils blown with desire. “Ben, please.”

It’s all the encouragement he needs.

He begins to slide inside of her.

They curse simultaneously as his cock begins to fill her. Ben has to press his eyes shut just to keep himself under control.

”Fuck, Rey,” is all he can manage as he bottoms out inside her.

Rey mewls in agreement, winding her good leg around him to press him closer.

He gives a single shallow thrust to test the waters.

The resulting pleasure is overwhelming. It's the best thing he's felt in his life.

He begins to fuck her in earnest, then. It’s loud; they both can’t stop their loud moans and gasps, and their sweaty skin slaps together over and over.

Rey is chanting his name beneath him, and he knows he’s not going to last much longer as he presses his mouth to hers in a sloppy, uncoordinated kiss.

He slides his hand down to where they’re connected and begins to rub her clit desperately.

Rey’s mouth drops open, and her body suddenly goes taut and still. Then, she’s exploding around him, her hot cunt clenching him tight and his name falling from her lips in a shout.

He comes almost immediately after, muffling his long, low groan into her shoulder as his cum spurts out of him.

He slides himself off of her when he’s finished so his weight doesn’t crush her.

They lie together side-by-side in the aftermath, panting heavily as the residual pleasure still pulses through them. Ben eventually props himself up a bit so he can see Rey's face. Her eyes are still closed, her features soft with pleasure.

"That was..." He struggles to find appropriate words.

She opens her eyes and glances at him, a cheeky smile blooming on her face. "Pretty fucking great," she finishes lazily.

He can't stop the blush that spreads across his cheeks as he nods in agreement. "Yeah, really fucking great."

He gets up then to take care of the condom, and when he returns she's still lying on the bed, curled on the same side she slept on the other night. He takes a few seconds to admire her naked form, as he really can't help himself, but he looks away when he hears her sleepy voice.

"Are you coming back to bed or not?"

He slips behind her and pulls her into his arms, in the exact same position as they had been in a few days prior. Only this time without clothes.

He knows she's going to fall asleep soon, but he needs to ask her a question before he does.

"Rey?"

"Hmm?"

He hesitates. "Are we...?"

He feels more than hears her laugh as she turns slightly to face him. "You want to have a DTR right this minute?"

He reddens. "I mean, we don't have to. I just wanted to know..." He takes a deep breath. "You know. If you want to go shopping with me tomorrow. Or if the sex was all you wanted."

She's silent for a moment, before she says, "Well, you're here now, aren't you?"

"Yeah, but..."

She lies back down on the bed and snuggles further back into him. "So," she murmurs, her breath hitting his forearm, "I want you to stay. For awhile."

He presses his nose into her hair. "Just awhile?"

She hums contentedly. "Quite awhile, maybe."

"Okay," he whispers, before he falls into a deep sleep. 

* * *

So they're dating.

Despite Rey's confirmation of this, he doesn't quite believe her until he hears her say the words.

"I told your mom that you're my boyfriend," she mentions off-handedly one day.

He freezes in the middle of his vegetable cutting, as he is busy trying to cook dinner for them for the first time. "You - what?"

She shrugs. "She was worried about how I was doing on my own, so I told her my boyfriend was taking care of me."

He still can't quite get over that one word. "I'm your boyfriend?"

Rey looks at him like he's patently stupid. "Duh."

It doesn't stop him from grinning stupidly and swooping in to plant a kiss on his girlfriend, who splutters a bit in surprise before quickly melting into him.

He feels the warm glow of happiness for the rest of the day.

* * *

He quits working for Snoke.

Because of Rey, Leia begins to reach out to him more, and he reciprocates by answering her calls and occasionally even calling her himself.

And now that he’s talking to his mother again, he can admit to himself that he never really _wanted_ to work for the First Order, anyway. He just didn’t want his parents to be right about him running away from the pressure of being a politician's son. It was childish of him.

And as Rey points out to him repeatedly, the job makes him miserable.

So he quits.

“Now what am I gonna do with all my free time?” he grumbles that night as he and Rey lie entangled on the couch, his hand running absently through her hair.

Rey grins and presses her lips to his neck. “I can think of a few things…”

He rolls his eyes in exasperation, but before he can really come up with a good retort, she’s sucking on his pulse point and he completely forgets what they were even talking about.

* * *

Leia wins the party nomination. The months leading up to it are hell on both Ben and Rey, but being together makes it manageable.

They're at a celebratory dinner with the entire campaign staff. It's their first big event together as a couple.

Ben's not too thrilled about the whole thing, but his mom and Rey deserve his support tonight. Especially since they've accomplished something so monumental.

They're sitting at their table, talking quietly to each other when Leia‘s chief of staff Amilyn Holdo approaches them.

"Hello, Ben," Holdo says cordially. "How are you this evening?"

He straightens a bit. "I'm doing well. Congratulations on your victory."

She smiles. "Thank you, Ben. It's very kind of you to show up; I don't think I've seen you since you were in college."

He aims for nonchalance as he shrugs. "I just needed a break from the spotlight, I guess."

Her smile thins. "Right, of course you did."

Rey shifts uncomfortably at his side.

Holdo seems to notice her then. "Ah, Rey, good to see you. Your hard work really paid off, my dear."

Rey smiles gratefully. "Thank you, Amilyn."

Holdo takes a sip of her champaign. "So, tell me, how did the two of you meet? No one seems to know around here.”

Ben glances down at Rey. He can practically feel her smirk as she replies, casually, “Oh, we just ran into each other one day. Really hit it off right away.”

He maintains a neutral expression as he adds, “She really liked my car.”

Holdo seems a bit puzzled by their response, but smiles obligingly regardless. “Well, you’re a very handsome couple.”

Ben flushes. Rey grins.

Once Holdo has lost interest in them and wandered away, Rey says quietly so that only he can hear, “We should make up a new story for every person that asks.”

“What if we just told them the truth?”

Rey meets his eyes, her smile softening and her eyes shining bright with pure affection.

“There's not a chance in hell they'd believe us.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks again for reading this silly tropey mess. As a new reylo fic writer it means so much to me that anyone read this or left kudos or anything of the sort. You're the best❤️


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